


Aethrale Academy for the Unseen

by RageSloth



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Agoraphobia, Alternate Universe - Boarding School, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Anxiety Attacks, Bottom Will Graham, Everyone is above highschool age, Explicit Sexual Content, Fairy Hannibal lecter, First Time, M/M, Magic, Merman Will Graham, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Seelie Court, Slow Burn, Top Hannibal Lecter, Unseelie Court, Unseelie Hannibal Lecter, Will is 18 Hannibal is 23, mythological creatures, supernatural/fantasy/mythical elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 02:55:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18274358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RageSloth/pseuds/RageSloth
Summary: Hannibal and Will met each other in childhood as orphans; Hannibal, the Unseelie Prince, and Will, a lost Mer-child. They became extremely close until Will suddenly disappeared. Years later, they meet at Aethrale Academy, a school in which mature magical humanoids attend to learn how to integrate into human society without causing suspicion.Unfortunately, Will has changed and wants nothing to do with his childhood friend. That won't stop Hannibal from trying to win his affections once more.





	Aethrale Academy for the Unseen

**Author's Note:**

> If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all. I'm not here for criticism, just to share and hope people enjoy. (: Thanks. 
> 
> Here is a glossary of terms and magical creatures that are less common-knowledge:
> 
> Seelie: The 'Light" Fairies. They are considered "good."  
> Unseelie: The "Dark" Fairies. They are considered "bad."  
> Whisps: a lesser spirits with no real will of their own. Usually attached to upper-class fae and do their bidding.  
> Dryad: A type of tree or woodland spirit that is tied to a specific tree.  
> Sprite: Elemental spirits not tied to any single thing as opposed to a Dryad  
> Imp: A very low-class Unseelie (considered "domestic" or in a service position) created by their masters to do their bidding when called; though they have a will and mind of their own.  
> Hobgoblin: An Unseelie sub-sector of lower class- considered "domestic" or in a service position. They have the ability to dissolve into shadows.  
> Nix: a water spirit tied to a specific fresh-water spring  
> Nymph: Considered a combination of fairy and elemental spirit. Usually kind of air-headed  
> Changeling: An abandoned fairy child given to a human family to cause destruction- Unseelie and lower-class.  
> Sidhe: Middle-class Fairies that live in fairy mounds. They usually stay in the mounds and don't go to integration academies and try to stick to the old ways.  
> Maleese [made-up]: A shape-shifter that lives near the Sidhe fairy mounds. It is wolf-like in appearance but has large thick scales and easily hides in grassland.  
> Samebito: A type of shark-like mer-creature as apposed to merfolk.  
> Faun: A type of Satyr but deer-like instead of goat-like  
> Phantom: A type of ghost that moves between the two worlds; born of both.  
> Croros [Made-up]: A type of large demon with ram-like horns.  
> Waenidhe [made-up]: A type of Unseelie that has antlers. Most are nobles. 
> 
>  
> 
> [I'll probably add to this later]

                Hannibal had first seen the boy thirteen years ago, laying half-way out of the water on a rock and sobbing into the crook of his elbow. He was just a little ways from shore but couldn't have been more than five and for a moment Hannibal wondered how he had gotten out there until he saw the skin at his waist fading to shimmering scales. He was surprised for he hadn't realized the pond had housed Merfolk. It was just a pond, of course, and he had thought it to be more ornamental than anything. It lay on the grounds of the palace and Hannibal himself had been crying not too long ago before deciding he needed to get some air.

 

                Hannibal was but ten-years-old and was the only survivor of a vicious attack by the Seelie troops on the royal Unseelie family. He missed his family terribly but most of all, he missed his precious little sister, Mischa. She had only been five-years-old and upon seeing the little mer-boy on the rock, he was instantly reminded of his sister. Without thinking, he took off his shoes, stockings, and tunic before wading into the water towards the boy who was sobbing so hard he hadn't even noticed his presence. The water was quite clear, at least the first three feet he could see, and it sparkled, though not nearly as radiantly as the boy's glimmering tail, which he could see clearly now as he approached. He was a tiny boy and with a tiny tail to match, but his tail fin was long, pearlescent, and elegant, his scales a iridescent pale blue. Though he couldn't see the boy's face, pressed into his arms as it was, the boy had a mop of beautiful dark hair that had dried into soft curls after crying for so long out of the water.

 

                "Little one... what makes you cry?" He asked as he came to his side. The boy's head immediately jerked up, frightened, but Hannibal held up his open hands in a message of peace. His eyes were a blue similar to his tail and he had a cherubic sweet face. Hannibal gave him a small gentle smile and the boy blinked red eyes at him before letting out a whisper of a voice. Hannibal didn't know the language and was saddened that he couldn't understand the foreign words being spoken. The boy blinked a few times in confusion and said the same words again, not understanding why the older boy didn't comprehend what he was saying.

 

                "I'm sorry, mer-child... I don't know what you're saying..." He said regrettably. He felt, that if he could help this boy, it would somehow be similar to helping his sister. He pointed to the boy's eyes and then ran his hand down his own cheek to show he recognized his tears before reaching out and grabbing his smaller pale hand. The boy blinked down at their joined hands and seemed to calm a little, fingers squeezing around his own. Hannibal moved onto the rock, sitting there beside the boy, who suddenly saw his legs, eyes growing wide in shock. He made a strange noise, similar to a creature of deep waters and pointed at his tail-less form in amazement before reaching out to touch his knee. The boy giggled a little, moving his leg around for a moment, making Hannibal smile.

 

                Although adult merfolk could transform their tails into legs, mer-children could not do so until they were mature, and it seemed the little boy had no knowledge of legs at all, let alone the existence of Fae.

 

                It occurred to Hannibal that a child of this age would be accompanied by his parents and he realized that the boy could be orphaned, much like himself. The older boy's eyes widened in alarm and he looked around as if perhaps he might see some sign of a mature adult, but saw nothing.

 

                "Where are your parents, little one?" He asked softly, though he knew the boy didn't have a clue as to what he was saying. The boy was busy studying his feet now, eyes comically wide as he looked. He reached out now into the water to grab at the older boy's big toe before squeaking and jerking back, then giggling as he splashed the water around with his fin in amusement. They stayed together for quite a long time like that, Hannibal cheering the little one up and distracting him, though when it began to grow darker he knew he should return to his studies and said his farewells. The boy stared after him with sad eyes, Hannibal feeling particularly horrible that he couldn't bring him with; the mer-child would not do well out of the water.

 

                When Hannibal came back the next day, the boy was still there, and the day after that, and the day after that. He knew that the boy was truly orphaned now, and he began to care for the boy in earnest, making sure to spend any time he wasn't studying with him, keeping him company, playing, bringing him food, and sometimes they would simply doze together on the same smooth rock. Months went by like this, and Hannibal worked to teach the boy the fae language. He had decided to call the boy "William" for it was a common human name he liked and apparently so did the mer-child. William was sweet, affectionate, and delighted by the older boy and Hannibal grew extremely fond of him. The boy was smart and a quick learner, and after a year he was fluent in the fae language, able to talk with Hannibal easily.

 

                William eventually knew enough words to tell the older boy his story.  He and his parents had lived in the ocean with a large colony of merfolk when one day he had wondered off too far from his parents. He had found what William called a "doorway" to the pond and had gone through, only to find himself stuck there, the "doorway" now closed to him, and William with no idea as to how to "open" it again. Hannibal believed the doorway to be a sort of portal that the merfolk used within a network of pools and lakes. He had learned of it in his studies, though he had no idea of how to open it either. Thankfully, the pond was much deeper than Hannibal had originally thought and at least the boy had plenty of room to roam.

 

                Hannibal spent two years taking care of the child like his own, despite the fact that he was a child himself. He had tried to get the current Unseelie ruler, his uncle, Robertas, to find some sort of solution for the younger boy but the older fae had no interest whatsoever in helping.

 

                One day, Hannibal was devastated to find the palace pond empty, with no trace of the boy he had grown so fond of. It broke Hannibal's heart for the second time in his short life. He had figured that the boy had somehow stumbled upon the entrance to the portal once again and entered, only to find it yet again closed. He mourned the loss of his William just as much as his family, and he never stopped thinking of him to the very day when he saw him again, eleven years later.

 

-

 

                At the Aethrale Academy any creatures of the earth, water, and sky were welcome to learn basic skills to survive in the human world. It was a recent development, founded in the last sixty years as the human people made more advancements that made it nearly impossible for the people of the "unseen world" to stay unseen. No matter what faerie faction, status, or class, all were allowed to attend, along with elemental sprites, harpies, demons, sirens, valkyrie, and any number of other creatures. Students of the academy learned of the human world, were taught various languages, basic human life skills, and etiquette. There were also classes for learning of other "Unseen" species and their languages. Most Unseen at the academy were fully matured and allowed to enter the human world, though it was strongly recommended to all in the Unseen communities to learn at an academy like Aethrale first.

 

                Hannibal had just started his third year at Aethrale at twenty-three-years-old and had been appointed Head Boy. He had grown into his horns; black, tall, and magnificent, shooting out of the top of his head through his hazel-colored hair, and his face had grown out of the baby-roundness of his youth, now handsome and angular, with cheekbones that could cut glass. His uncle was still ruling at the Unseelie court in his stead until he graduated and Hannibal thoroughly enjoyed his studies, competent in six human languages as well as fifteen Unseen. It was his duty to be extremely well-learned in Human studies lest the time finally came when the Unseen world had no choice but to be seen. He would of course be the ambassador for the Unseelie court if or when it happened.

 

                He had seen the chestnut-colored mop of curls in the hallway on the way to his government class and had stopped for a moment, thinking of his dear lost William and feeling a sadness that reached deep into his soul. The gorgeous mop of locks reminded him so much of the boy and he seemed to be having some sort of delusion for he thought he even felt the familiar buzz of Will's dormant magic. No, Perhaps he just remembered it wrong. He reasoned it had to have been another merfolk's magic he was feeling, though Hannibal knew their numbers dwindled greatly and there were had only been but two in attendance in the last two years he had been at Aethrale. Hannibal was just shaking off the world-weariness the old memories brought when the male just down the hallway turned and the fae caught sight of his face. His breath left him. William! His face had lost the round baby-like features but was still angelic; lips plush and sweet, eyes wide and bright blue. It had to be him. His senses had not completely fooled him. He knew what he was seeing. Will's jaw had hardened and he looked truly a man now. His shoulders were broad and his build was slim but masculine with lean muscles. He was beautiful. He was in human form and Hannibal almost missed his gorgeous shimmering tail, if he weren't so overjoyed at seeing his legs. He was surprised to see him looking so human in jeans and a soft grey tee-shirt, the only giveaway that he was mer at all being that his ears were ever-so pointed. Not as drastically as Hannibal's, but nonetheless.

 

                Hannibal soon found himself barreling down the hall, eyes set on his William, though unsure of exactly what he planned to do. His blood was pounding in his ears and his stomach was flipping. At just within a few meter's distance from him, the younger male, now surely eighteen, turned to face him, eyes glancing up only to freeze upon seeing the other man. His gorgeous blue eyes, rimmed by long pretty lashes, grew wide, and for a moment they both just stared at each other, even with the rushing and bustling of their peers passing them in the hall. Time seemed to stop, and all noise was drowned out. It was Will. His William.

 

                "William." He managed to murmur, dumbstruck. The young Mer blinked a few times at him in disbelief and took a hesitant step forward, eyes looking a little glassy, before stopping, looking somehow afraid. Hannibal's vision was blurry and he willed his tears away, moving forward and stopping in front of him, within touching-distance. It seemed both of them were afraid to break the spell, should it be an illusion, so for a moment Hannibal's hands hovered in the air.

 

                "William?" He asked, softly, and the young man continued to stare for a moment before something changed suddenly in his eyes, now looking petrified. His mouth opened and without another word, he turned and fled.  Hannibal's eyes widened and everything seemed to go in slow-motion. Why was he running?! All Hannibal knew was that he couldn't let him leave him again. Without even really his meaning to, he reached out his hand and threw out his power in front of the running Mer, a thick black mist becoming a wall in front of him, sparking with electricity. The younger man skidded to a stop and Hannibal's voice rang out, his powers running wild, his classmates all freezing and either looking angry or fearful. The angry ones were the Seelie, and Hannibal took no mind even as they whispered "Unseelie...." with dark eyes upon him.

 

                "William, stop." His voice was loud, echoing, and low. Unseelie power was considered "dark" and "dangerous" but it was all Hannibal had ever known, and in all honestly, he rather liked the fear it instilled. Though, perhaps not in Will.

 

                As Hannibal caught up to him, he saw the Mer was shaking, eyes glassy with tears, and one streaked down his face. Hannibal immediately took him into his arms and held him like when they were children and Will seemed to relax after a few moments.

 

                "Will... don't leave me." He whispered. The younger male was still shaking, but he was now burying his face into Hannibal's neck. The Fae was aware of the eyes on them, but he cared little, he only wanted to take his Mer somewhere where he could calm down. He released his magic into the atmosphere, the air crackling and smelling of petrichor, before the black mist evaporated, and then without further ado he took Will by the hand and pulled him off with him down the hall. William had no choice but to follow, Hannibal's grip strong. His steps were slightly unsteady and Hannibal tried to be careful but he was too anxious and he rushed, Will tripping a few times.

 

                Why was Will afraid? What was wrong? What had happened to him? So many questions ran through the Fae's mind and he tried to rationalize his actions as he led William out and to the gardens. Class was starting now but he didn't care. Not in that moment. It was as if a family member had come back from the dead and he wouldn't miss this moment for something as silly as human studies.

 

                He found a bench and sat down on the stone surface, pulling Will down beside him. The boy awkwardly took his seat, not meeting Hannibal's eyes and staring off at the flowers nearby.

 

                "William... Please speak to me..." Will looked lost and a little confused.

 

                "I... I do not know what you are saying..." He said softly in mostly fluent English, though his words were hesitant and lightly accented. Hannibal's brows furrowed. Had Will forgotten the Fae language?

 

                "I'm sorry, Will.... Do you... remember me?" He asked, now in English. Will blinked at him a few times before averting his eyes. He nodded.

 

                "I- I'm sorry..." The Mer said it so quietly Hannibal barely heard it.

 

                "For what? William, what happened to you?" Hannibal asked, close to begging for answers. He reached out to touch the younger man's arm and he flinched but didn't pull back. For a moment Will simply sat there shaking.

 

                "I was locked out... from the pond... and then they took me." It was barely a whisper and the Mer's eyes looked haunted as he spoke, looking off at nothing, away from the Fae.

 

                "Who, Will?"

 

                "Humans... Him..." Will muttered, furrowing his brows and looking down at his hands in his lap. Hannibal took this in, forming his own ideas. Perhaps humans had captured him and kept him in confinement?

 

                "Will... just tell me." He prompted him, but Will shook his head.

 

                "Look... You-you hardly know me anymore... What does it matter? I do not want to burden you with my issues... just..." Will swallowed, voice thick with emotion, "Do not worry about me. I'm sorry." Hannibal knew the younger man was deeply pained by whatever he had experienced and he wouldn't give up so easily. He decided to drop that for now and try a different tactic. He reached out and cupped the Mer's cheek. Though he flinched at first, he didn't move away and let Hannibal touch.

 

                "Will... you grew so beautifully. You're here. That's what matters to me. I never stopped thinking of you." He said, wanting to pull him into his arms again. Will's brows furrowed and he looked back into his eyes for a moment.

 

                "H-Hannibal...?" He murmured. The Fae's heart beat a little faster. He nodded. Will swallowed and looked away again. "I... remember..." He said, as if it wasn't obvious already. Though Hannibal appreciated the use of his name. "I had no idea you would be here... had no idea where the pond was... I remember a... maybe a castle? That cannot be right, can it?" He asked, looking up at Hannibal's antlers.

 

                "Yes. The Unseelie Castle." He said, nodding. Will's eyes widened before he quickly looked away. He stood, not looking at his friend from so long ago before speaking.

 

                "Please... someone like me... should not be bothering you... Unseelie nobility..." He said, looking down at the dirt beneath his shoes. They were old and worn, much like the rest of his clothes. His jeans had holes in the knees. Hannibal shook his head.

 

                "That doesn't matter, Will. You have and always will be my friend." Hannibal said, standing and reaching out to grab his arm again but the Mer flinched away, shaking his head.

 

                "You do not know me, Hannibal..." He said softly, looking up one last time into his eyes sadly before walking away. Hannibal stared after him, fury creeping up on him and suffocating as if immersed. What had happened to his sweet Mer? Who was responsible? He would find whoever was and make them pay dearly.

 

-

 

                "What happened? The others told me you displayed your power in front of everyone... including Trooping Seelie. Over a young mer boy?" His cousin hissed at him, green eyes blazing. She was just as collected as he was normally and he had committed a faux pas. Bedelia had perfectly curled and styled blonde hair and Hannibal had never seen it anything but immaculate. Her face was soft with a narrow nose and small but full lips, her restrained personality clashing with it, though she generally looked alert and bored at the same time. She was statuesque and wore clothes of nobility usually, though at the academy she wore human clothes by the latest designers in Paris. Today she was wearing a black pencil skirt and a red blouse with stilettos. All at the academy were encouraged to wear the current choices in human clothing.

 

                Hannibal sighed, irritated by the questions, but answered her nonetheless.

 

                "I was caught off-guard after seeing a childhood friend that had gone missing. It is no one's concern but my own." He said, speaking in the fae language as they were in class and he had no intention of allowing so many others to be privy to the information. Bedelia looked skeptical, giving him a look of bored expectation.

 

                "A childhood friend." She repeated. Hannibal nodded. "I highly doubt it was as simple as that. I very rarely see you lose your self-control, Hannibal. The Seelie are talking." Hannibal's lips twitched in irritation.

 

                "They can talk all they like. I have no interest in it."

 

                "And who is this boy?" His cousin asked blandly as she organized her various class supplies; an Ipad, cellphone, and notepad, along with some pencils. Hannibal watched as their professor walked in; a distinguished older shape-shifter from the clan of the Iron Fox.

 

                "He is an eighteen-year-old Mer by the name of William. I have not seen him in eleven years and he is new to the academy... I would like the domestics to take interest in him... watch him closely and make sure none cause him distress. If you will relay that to them?" Hannibal said, looking at his cousin, surprised he had said it. It hadn't truly crossed his mind until it left his mouth. William was clouding his usual sensibility. The other Unseelie looked surprised, thin eyebrows raised, before she nodded minutely.

 

                "I will make it known..." The class was just about to start when a young Maleese entered, a little hurriedly, and made his way to his seat only to look back behind him at Hannibal. The boy was named Randal and Hannibal, on occasion, had bedded the boy, though the Maleese took more interest in him than he cared for. Maleese were a type of shapeshifter that transformed into a rather large wolf-like creature with tough green scales covering it's body. They lived in grasslands in tribes near Sidhe mounds. Randal was thin and tall with short, dark hair and narrow shoulders. He was four years his junior and had arrived at the academy a year before. The boy smirked at him and licked his lips before turning around to face the front of the room as the professor started class. Hannibal mused that he might have to visit the other later that night in the dormitory.

 

                They were a few minutes into class when a Fairy walked in late, looking extremely smug. He looked at Hannibal as he entered and smirked. He was Seelie and nobility, completely pompous and had an unwarranted ego, as did most Seelie. His name was Frederick and he was usually the first to make a snide comment. He was short with deep-set eyes, thin lips, and cropped dark hair brushed to the side. His ears were sharply pointed and he had short pearlescent horns jutting back from atop his head along with a soft yellow glow about his form that accompanied many Seelie nobility. Hannibal and Bedelia, in contrast, as well as most of the Unseelie nobility and all Waenidhe, had an underlying darkness that seemed to drift behind them in a sort of mist as they walked. They were the dark, where Seelie were the light.

                The Fae knew that Frederick was gloating about Hannibal's loss of control and he thought of all the ways he might dismember him. He gave the other male a cold stare before he took his seat and took some satisfaction that the professor was glaring in irritation at the pompous ass.

 

                After class Frederick purposefully sought out the other Fae and stood before him, smirking.

 

                "I see you've recovered, Hannibal. That was quite an incident. How is your Mer doing after such a display? He must be quite the catch to insight such a riot." Hannibal stared at him coldly before giving him the slightest smirk.

 

                "My friend is fine, thank you for asking, Frederick. How is your mother faring?" He asked politely, well aware that the old duchess was dying slowly and painfully from a curse put upon her by the Unseelie. The unwelcome Seelie frowned and his lip twitched in irritation despite how much he was obviously trying to hide it.

 

                "She is battling hard. I believe she will come through the curse soon." He quipped, brows raised pompously. "Tell me, what is your little friend's name? He is quite beautiful. I'm sure everyone will be interested in courting him." Hannibal felt the darkness inside him growing cold and all-consuming. He forced it back under control and kept his composure despite how much the idea of anyone pursuing the young Mer  made him feel murderous.

 

                "Do not worry, Frederick. His courting will not have any measure of effect on you, be assured. William is here to learn and not be disturbed. I'm sure you understand." He kept his speech as polite as possible which was incredibly-so in regards to the Fae language. Frederick seemed to pull in a deep breath and puffed his unimpressive chest out, the light around him flickering.

 

                "Oh, I understand. But I must be on my way now. Bedelia, Hannibal, enjoy the rest of your day and welcome your friend to the academy for me." He said, smirking before leaving. Hannibal looked to Bedelia, who seemed to be outwardly chastising him somehow with only the use of her eyes. Hannibal turned and walked out of the classroom, his cousin following behind.

 

-

 

                The common room was full that night at around seven and Hannibal was only half paying attention to the proceeding game of blackjack. He was winning nonetheless, but his mind was on Will even as Randal slid his hand under the table and groped him. He blinked a few times before looking to the Maleese with raised brows and Jack across the table cleared his throat.

 

                "Hannibal, you haven't shown your cards yet." The larger man said, not looking amused. He was a burly shape-shifter from the Shale Bear clan; twenty-five, darker skin, with close-cropped hair and a wide face. He was  one of Hannibal's closer friends at Aethrale Academy but easily lost his temper. Most of his emotions ran rampant, but that was not unusual for shifters of any type.

 

                "I apologize. An ace of hearts and jack of spades." He announced as he revealed his cards, winning again. Just then, Hannibal sensed the unmistakable presence of a Mer entering the room and turned to see Will having just come through the doorway. He was speaking to a female sprite of his same age when the Mer glanced up, seeing Hannibal watching. He blinked a few times before looking away and Hannibal felt a pang in his chest that seemed to lance through his body. It pained him that he couldn't rejoice in Will's presence. He furrowed his pale brows and quickly excused himself from the table before striding across the room. The Mer swallowed at his approach and the young sprite blinked at him before looking at Will searchingly. 

 

                "Will, I was unaware you had a room in this dorm." He said. Will nodded.

 

                "I moved in yesterday. I'm rooming with Jimmy of Price. Do you know him?" He asked, looking awkward and not quite looking him in the eyes. His gaze was focused somewhere around his chin.

 

                "Yes... we are acquainted... However, I have had an opening for a roommate for a while now if you are interested in switching." He offered, feeling hopeful, though his expression seemed simply open and friendly. Will shook his head.

 

                "I... I cannot..." He said, looking distracted. Hannibal felt that same pang in his chest again and his expression fell. He nodded.

 

                "Of course..."

 

                "Hannibal! Why haven't you introduced me to your friends?" Randal said just behind him before he felt his arms wrap around his waist possessively. It was slightly irritating and Hannibal fought not to simply untangle himself from him. He saw Will's eyes widen, staring at the other boy, mouth slightly open before quickly averting his gaze.

 

                "Oh, yes, excuse my rudeness. My name is Hannibal and this is my friend Randal." He said, practically hearing the boy frown just above his shoulder as he introduced himself to the girl accompanying Will, and Randal to the both of them. Randal wanted to be more than just friends who occasionally had sex but that had never been the Fae's intention and the Maleese was well aware of that fact. The female gave them a weak smile.

 

                "Margot. I've just been showing Will around..." She explained in an airy sort of voice. Her hair was honey-colored and curled and her face rather girlish with red pouting lips.

 

                "Will is a childhood friend of mine." Hannibal explained to Randal, whom he could tell was tense. One thing he and Randal had in common was a deep-felt violence and he could tell the boy wanted to claw Will's eyes out but kept himself well-enough in-check.

 

                "From a long time ago..." Will said, looking away from them. Margot looked to the Mer, somewhat distant but concerned and she furrowed her brows, placing a hand on his arm. Will flinched at the touch. "Ah- I should... go." He said, and with a sorrowful glace in Hannibal's direction he headed off to the hallway for the dorm rooms. The Fae watched after him, for once, unsure as to what to do. He would crack the boy; make him talk to him. For now, he would see if Bedelia talked to the domestics.

 

-

 

                When Will had first laid eyes on Hannibal again, his heart stopped in his chest. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He knew it was the Fae immediately. Though he had grown he still had the same eyes, the same intensity, and the same powerful reassuring magic surrounding him, though now it was no-longer locked inside his child form. He was a man now, and had become devastatingly handsome, all the softness of his younger years replaced by hard angles and sharp cheekbones. He had grown as tall as Will but with much broader shoulders and a naturally hard-muscled frame. His characteristic Waenidhe antlers had grown in sharp, black, and impressive and there was a dark aura around his figure. Will's heart finally seemed to start up again but now it was thumping loudly in his ears. His eyes grew wide. He was coming towards him!

 

                He was not the little boy Hannibal had known him as any longer and he was a broken, weak, magic-less creature. It was deplorable to be so disconnected from his roots and afraid of contact from anyone but fish. He couldn't let him see him like this! Better a memory than what he had become. Will ran, but as soon as he did, a wall of hazy black magic built in front of him, electricty sparking dangerously from it. He almost shouted in alarm but contained himself, eyes wide and backing up a little. Hannibal had done it, and sure enough, he heard his voice echoing down the hall. What kind of Fae was he? Surely Unseelie, but his power was incredible. Alarmingly so. He could very well be nobility. This didn't bode well for Will, yet he turned around, given no choice. The other man came forward and without further ado wrapped his arms around his thin frame. He hadn't been touched in years by anyone and when the man took him into his arms his whole body froze up, simultaneously terrified and  relieved. He was here; he was safe. He relaxed in his arms, though tears were welling up in his eyes. It felt wonderful, to be cherished like this, but the fear rumbled in him. He shook as the shame overtook him and was about to pull back when the Fae took his hand and led him off down the hall.

 

                Will was still unsteady on his feet, not entirely used to walking on his new legs, but Hannibal was hurrying down the hall fast and he tripped over his feet several times before they reached a garden. The older male sat him down and said something in a language that seemed familiar yet he didn't understand. Will furrowed his brows and spoke, hoping his pronunciation was correct. He could understand English, the language of the humans in this region, just fine, but had very rarely had the opportunity to use it.

 

                "I... I do not know what you are saying..." He said softly, embarrassed. He looked away and stared at some flowers nearby. The world outside, on land, was both ugly and beautiful, but he enjoyed the plants. These flowers had an interesting petal design; yellow and orange and more oblong. He had looked them up the other day; jewel weed. Though he would hardly call it a weed. It was beautiful and it attracted all manner of gorgeous flying creatures that Will found fascinating. He tried to distract himself with thoughts of it, but it was hard given that Hannibal was right beside him, finally, and more beautiful to behold than the flowers he loved.

 

                "I'm sorry, Will.... Do you... remember me?" The man said now in accented but intelligible English. Of course he remembered him! All those years with the only thing to keep him going being that he might one day see him again. He nodded, ashamed that he didn't have anything to show for their time apart.

 

                "I- I'm sorry..."He near-whispered. This hurt. The Fae worked for the next few minutes to try to get Will to talk of what had happened, but how could he tell him? When Hannibal touched him again, he flinched, but he wanted his affection so bad that despite how terrified he was, he stayed still and let him stroke his cheek. He shivered and his cheeks grew warm. This feeling... his stomach was turning in knots but he wanted more. The other man told him he was beautiful and Will was close to breaking down but he tried his hardest to hold himself together until Hannibal told him that the ethereal castle he remembered was real and it was obvious now; Hannibal was a noble, possibly royalty, and Will was nothing. He got to his feet, feeling himself grow cold.

 

                "Please... someone like me... should not be bothering you... Unseelie nobility..." He struggled to say the words, and Hannibal reached out to touch his arm again. He flinched away and shook his head. No. He wouldn't bother the man any longer. "You do not know me, Hannibal..." And with that, he walked away, feeling as if his heart had been wrenched from his chest, though it had been done with his own claws.

 

                He didn't go to class after his encounter with his childhood friend but went straight to his new dorm room, closing the door and immediately collapsing. He had no idea that when he came to this school to acclimate, that it would be so hard. There were so many people, so many strange customs. People were constantly talking to him and asking him questions and he was hardly ever alone. He should feel grateful for that, for he had been alone for many years except for the occasional watching eye, but instead it was overwhelming.

 

                He stayed leaning against the door and stretched out his sore legs. He must still be walking a little wonky, he supposed. It was hard getting used to the two bumbling things and of course, his new... bits. Surely he could spend a little time in the bath before the next class? He stood and peeled off the oppressive clothing he now had to wear, leaving it in a trail as he headed into the bathroom. Thankfully Jimmy was still in class. He looked in the mirror as he entered and stared at his legs for maybe the six-hundredth time in a row since first being able to transform. And how odd the mating parts... He blushed looking at them, as though they weren't his, then turned to fill the tub. Before his mating parts were kept inside unless needed to be used. Now, they seemed quite vulnerable. Perhaps that was why they wore clothes.  The bath filled and as he touched the water he forgot that they had water that could be warmed here. He flinched back his hand in surprise and quickly turned the other tap to get it back to a luke-warm temperature and then waited sitting on the side of the tub for it to fill.  Oddly enough, his species was adapted to living in both fresh and salt water, and he was thankful for that. He ran his hands up his sides before finding the hard lines of his gills in-between his ribs. They were closed up in this form but the lines were still there as a reminder, just as his ears and their points.

 

                The bath finally filled and Will quickly got in, legs transforming as he submerged himself. Good Gaia was it cramped! and they had purposefully given him the largest one! He breathed in through his gills and sighed, blissfully wet despite the small space. His tail-fin was hanging out some but it was better than nothing. He rolled and lay down on his stomach against the porcelain and tried not to think of the aquarium tank. Instead, he thought of Hannibal.

 

                How had he become so incredibly handsome? Everything about his adult form was... arousing. And though Will knew little of such things he knew well enough that he was attracted, though he didn't think it was possible to mate with another male. As far as he could remember from what he knew as a child, only males and females could mate. He frowned, wondering what on Earth he was so attracted by, then? Was that even natural? Will ran his now clawed and webbed hands through his hair, untangling it as he thought. Perhaps he was more unwell in the mind than he had even realized. They had told him, no matter the problem, mental or physical, Will could speak to the physician. Perhaps they could fix at least _this_ oddness in him; give him a tincture, a potion, or pill. They said they could not help him with his anxiety or "agoraphobia," as they called it; that he would have to work through that himself, though they had given him a few small portable bottles of potions to relieve any serious "anxiety attacks." He had taken one on his way back to his dorm room, though it had seemed to do little. He trembled, hoping that they could help. He didn't want to feel so desperately alone, even amongst so many.

 

                Will was so deep in thought that he hadn't even sensed the presence of another until the door to the bathroom opened. He yelped and shot up out of the water, grasping onto the side of the tub with wide eyes. It was Jimmy, his roommate. He was a hobgoblin; an Unseelie but of the lower class. He was able to disappear into the shadows and tended to be unable to control his tendencies for random, though harmless, trickery.  His ears were pointed and long like Hannibal's and his aura was dark but not nearly as powerful or impressive. One could hardly see the wisps of black mist coming off him.

 

                "Oh! Sorry! I didn't know you were here! ... Is this awkward or is it ok for me to see you in this form?" He asked, blinking in befuddlement, though seemingly amused. Will's eyes were still wide and he blushed a little, though he didn't know why.

 

                "Uh... It's fine." He said, swallowing. The other boy was staring at his fin, looking curious. Jimmy was Hannibal's age; twenty-three, though he looked rather homely and somewhat comical, although that could just have been his default expression. He apparently saw how worried Will looked because he furrowed his brows.

 

                "Will, is something wrong?" He asked. Will shook his head and rested his chin on his arms. "I know it's probably still pretty overwhelming. I mean you've only been here a few days. Can I help at all?" He was incredibly friendly, at least. Will gave him a small smile.

 

                "No... Just kind of awkward walking around, I guess. How do you do it?" He joked, though the humor didn't reach his eyes. Jimmy chuckled.

 

                "Well, I've mostly always done it. You could ask one of the other Merfolk if you like. I could introduce you to Fredericka. She's kind of a pain, though. I think the other's name is Joel but I don't know him really." He said. Will's brows rose. He wasn't sure. He was probably pretty weird for a Mer and wouldn't fit in. They might inform others of how odd he was. He rubbed at his jaw anxiously.

 

                "Um... maybe not..." He said softly. Jimmy strolled further in before just coming right up and sitting on the side of the bath tub. He looked at Will's tail curiously. His scales were an iridescent light blue, like his mother's.  It made Will uncomfortable at how he stared, but figured that just came with the territory of all the different species living together.

 

                "Hey, how about I introduce you to Margot? She's a water sprite. She's your age. You might have some things in common." The hobgoblin said. Will appreciated that he was trying to help, even if it wasn't really wanted at the current time. Will looked away and licked his lips.

 

                "Uh... Maybe later... I think I have to go to the physician..." He said, feeling his cheeks and the back of his neck heat up. Jimmy furrowed his brows.

 

                "Sure. How 'bout I send her your way after?" Will nodded.

 

                "Okay." He didn't know what to say and he simply wanted this conversation over. "I'm... I'm going to get out of the tub now... so if you do not mind..." He said, grimacing. Jimmy's eyes widened comically.

 

                "Oh! Sure. Let me know if you, uh, need any help?" He said awkwardly. Will gave him the same sort of awkward smile back and nodded once before the hobgoblin left the room. He sighed. Why did he have to be so horrible at social interactions? He willed his form into its human shape before emerging from the tub and drying off before realizing his clothes were sort of strewn across the floor in their room. He rolled his eyes and wrapped the towel around his waist before coming out to grab his clothes only to see that Jimmy had left them at the door, though the hobgoblin had left. He smiled a little at the gesture and quickly dressed.

 

                Heading towards the physician's office, he felt somewhat nervous and got lost in the halls several times before eventually finding it. The Doctor was sitting at her desk when he came in and she looked up, giving him a gentle smile. Her hair was near-black and a gorgeous tumble of light waves past her shoulders. She looked very statuesque in a red wrap-dress but was wearing a white doctor's coat over it with a name tag.

 

                "Will! It's nice to see you again. I hope everything is going well?" She asked. Will rubbed at his jaw nervously and nodded.

 

                "Hi, Doctor Bloom... Uh... I have some more concerns..." He said awkwardly. The woman wasn't very old; perhaps in her thirties. She was a Dryad; a type of tree-spirit, and she was oddly comforting. The doctor gave him a gentle look of understanding and nodded, gesturing to a stool nearby. He sat and ran a hand through his drying hair, avoiding her eyes.

 

                "What seems to be the problem, Will? I did hear that you had a run-in with the Seelie Prince. I hope he didn't disturb you." She said, brows furrowed. "Normally he is incredibly polite." Will's eyes widened and he felt his cheeks heat up again, mortified, then realized she had said "Prince."

 

                "W-what? P-prince?!" He exclaimed, feeling his heart practically jumping out of his chest. Dr. Bloom's furrowed her brows in confusion.

 

                "You did speak with Hannibal, right?" Will swallowed and nodded quickly.

 

                "I-I did not know- He- We knew each other when I was young-"

 

                "Will, it's alright. Was this the friend you spoke about when we first brought you here? You shouldn't be worried about his status. You aren't of the Fae. Their statuses are inconsequential to us." She explained, giving him a little smile. Will shook his head.

 

                "I-I don't want to bother him-"

 

                "Will, it sounds to me like he sought you out. You are obviously not bothering him. I am sure he wants to welcome you back as his friend. I encourage it." She said. Will shook his head again, looking down at his hands.

 

                "I cannot..." He murmured. It was absolutely out of the question that he bother Hannibal in any way, especially if he was the Unseelie Prince.  "I-I came to uh, ask you a question regarding my mental health..." He said, changing the subject. Doctor Bloom's perfect brows rose and she brushed her lovely dark hair behind her pointed ears. They were just a little green at the tips.

 

                "Of course, Will." She said. The Mer thought for a moment on what he might say, but the more he thought of it, the more nervous he got.

 

                "I am having odd feelings about a member of the same sex and I am wondering if you have a remedy for whatever sickness- I- I have not _done_ anything. I promise- I just- it is curable, right?" He asked, so quickly that he stumbled over the words. Doctor Bloom schooled her expression, though he could tell she was surprised. She gave him a gentle smile.

 

                "There's nothing wrong with being sexually attracted to men, Will. It's not a sickness." Will blinked indignantly at her and shifted in his seat.

 

                "But- We cannot mate..." He said in confusion. Doctor Bloom seemed amused and he wondered if he was so odd that it was just funny now.

 

                "Creatures of the same sex can mate, Will, they just can't reproduce without magical intervention." She explained. Will's eyes grew wide and for a moment it seemed his whole body grew hot. Was it just hot in the room? He thought he was sweating... That didn't make a lot of sense as far as what he knew about mating.

 

                "But why- how?" He said, feeling like a complete idiot.

 

                "Well, you don't have to reproduce with someone in order to be sexually attracted to them. Many people have sex for pleasure only. Men have various ways of having sex with each other, just as any couple. Maybe I can give you some information, here, let me see..." She said, turning to her laptop and typing in a few things. Will sat awkwardly, confused and trying to figure out how he felt about this. He wasn't strange?

 

                "Are you sure it's not... weird?" He asked. The doctor paused in her search and smiled at him.

 

                "It's perfectly normal, Will. I suppose you only just started your computer science class... So I'll just print some things out, okay? I'll just let you know that you might read it in private as sexual practices are private matters and it might be embarrassing should someone see you reading it. That _doesn't_ mean it's wrong, though. It's just a faux pas, or awkward. Do you understand?" She asked, furrowing her brows as if unsure she had gotten her point across. Will swallowed and nodded.

 

                "I think so..." Things were much more complicated out in the real world. Doctor Bloom printed out what turned out to be a rather thick stack of paper regarding the subject before handing it to him. Will took it awkwardly and rubbed at his jaw. "Thank you, Doctor Bloom." She smiled prettily at him. It was comforting.

 

                "Of course, Will."

 

                Will left feeling better, though of course it in no way solved his problem with Hannibal. He would just have to avoid him. He put the stack of papers in his bag and left the office and as he was walking a young woman his age came up alongside him, giving him a small smile.

 

                "Hello. You must be Will, right?" She asked. Her brows were high, giving her an air of coolness though not completely unapproachable. She had a girlish face with small lips and lidded eyes and Will felt that she was a water sprite. This had to be the girl Jimmy had been speaking of. He nodded to her.

 

                "I'm Will, Yes."

 

                "Oh, good. I'm Margot. Jimmy was talking about you. Maybe I can show you around a bit. I'm kind of curious about you... someone said you knew the Unseelie Prince." She said. Will stopped in his tracks and shook his head.

 

                "No- not really... we just... I knew him when I was small." He said, eyes wide. She gave him a bewildered look.

 

                "Well, still..." She trailed off, "Kind of made a scandal. He's not like that usually. He's kind of big around here. I mean, all the Fae nobles are..." She said with a roll of her eyes. Will swallowed, trying to keep calm. He had made a scandal? People were talking about it that much?

 

                "They-they are?" He said, stumbling a little as he walked. Damn these legs! She nodded.

 

                "Oh yes... they're the main event around here and the Unseelie Prince is head boy, of course. The head girl is a Seelie Noble." She sighed. "Just for once I'd love to see someone who is not Fae be head boy or girl... It's like a popularity contest..."

 

                Will furrowed his brows and nodded. He wasn't aware of all this, though of course the Fae would be high on the food chain. He let out a slow breath like he had been told to if he was getting too anxious.

 

                Thankfully, before being completely settled into the academy, he had gotten a crash-course on creatures, writing, and a few other needed skills for simply attending. He was a quick learner so it hadn't taken long for him to adapt to at least some basic information. He had the Unseen Organization for Human Influence to thank for that; a sector of the government for the collective of Unseen species. Will's time in the rehabilitation institute was so short that even the professors there were impressed with him.

 

                Margot gave him a tour from a student's perspective around the campus and they had gotten back to the dormitories when they ran straight smack into Hannibal. He had apparently seen them before Will had and he had promptly come over to greet him. Will swallowed, eyes wide and mortified. Why was an Unseelie Prince so persistent about speaking to him? Hannibal expressed he hadn't known he was living in the same dormitories and even asked Will if he wanted to come room with him. Will expressly denied him, convinced it was some break of conduct, which had the other man looking slightly put-out even though he was a very stoic individual. Will could mostly tell from his aura alone. He knew other's didn't normally have this ability to read other's emotions so clearly, though.

 

                Just as Will thought he might be able to slip off, a tall boy came up behind Hannibal and affectionately wrapped his arms around the Fae's waist, looking over one of his broad shoulders. It was undeniable that it was a sexual sort of affection and Will was somewhat aghast to see it in person. It really was normal to be mates with someone of the same sex. Will, however, did not like seeing the example with the two before him. Hannibal was already mated to someone else. And while yes, Will knew that it was wrong for him to want to be with the Fae prince, Will was jealous. He tried not to gape like a fish at them but it was difficult. However, when the older boy had introduced the other wrapped around him, he had simply called him a "friend" and not his mate or lover. Maybe they were not...?

 

                The emotions rioting in Will were getting out of hand and he wasn't sure he could keep his composure for very long. When Margot touched his arm he just about lost it, flinching back and hurriedly leaving the room. He could feel a number of eyes on his back as he left.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you would like to see this continue please comment. (: 
> 
> I wrote this because I wanted to make it like a high school anime but everyone is older...? I didn't want Will and Hannibal to get together and Will be like... fifteen... and Hannibal be eighteen... sounds gross. lol


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